Refrigerating apparatus



J. SMILACK REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Jan. 18, 1938.

Original Filed Nov. 22, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l um NA Y, R m m5 A .I .S

Wwf

` Jan. 18, 1938.

J. sMlLAcK REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 24 lmzv i /i 526 UIQ/Z /2 I UU f UDO

' im'v ATTORNEYJ.

Jca Sav/Laax.

REFR IGERATING PPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 2,2, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ms ATTORNEYS.

Paten-ted Jan. 18, 1938 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Jacob Smilack, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation oi Delaware Application November 22, 1934, Serial No. 754,271 Renewed March 11, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus of the type which condenses moisture from the air and more particularly to apparatus for withdrawing the condensed moisture from said refrigerating apparatus.

In my copending application Serial No. 750,840; iiled October 31, 1934, now matured into Patent No. 2,031,550, granted Feb. 18, '1936, I have shown an electrically energized; system for ret moving drip water from a cooling element of a Cil refrigerating system, upon a predetermined accumulation thereof in a collecting receptacle, by vaporizingI or evaporating the drip water from the receptacle. While the device or system disclosed in my copending application referred to is highly eicient for refrigerating apparatus of the household food storage type, it has the disadvantage, when incorporated in an air cooling refrigerating apparatus, of discharging the vaporized drip water into the room in which the air is being cooled and consequently dried, thus increasing the humidity of the air within the room and thereby again condensing the moisture in the air on the cooling element. Since the present invention relates to an installation of a refrigerating apparatus in a building or the like wherein drip water from a cooling element voi the apparatus cannot be drained from the apparatus by gravity ilow to the sewer, I wish to incorporate a portion of the principle disclosed in my copending application for carrying out the following objects of the present invention.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved method of and apparatus for automatically withdrawing the atmospheric condensation from an evaporator of a refrigerating system where an ordinary gravity disposal apparatus cannot be used and particularly where the drip water of condensation must be elevated above the drip water catching means and/or the evaporator and removed from the room in which the evaporator is located.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for elevating drip water ilowing from a cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus to a point above thev cooling element or above the apparatus in which it is located so that disposal of the water may occur by gravity.

A still further object of the invention is to pro- (Cl. (i2-129) panylng drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an installation of a refrigerating apparatus embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly broken away, of a refrigerating apparatus forming a part of the present invention, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of parts of the present invention showing an electrical circuit diagrammatically connected with the parts.

In an apparatus for cooling rooms in buildings there is generally a considerable amount of moisture condensed on the cooling element of the apparatus which must be removed from the room to eiect cooling ofthe atmosphere therein. In many instances a gravity drain system cannot be installed or is undesirable. My invention is concerned with automatic means for removing the moisture or drip water flowing from the cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus upwardly of the apparatus and out of the room being cooled in an effective manner and particularly independent of operations of the refrigerating apparatus.

Referring to the drawings ior the purpose` of illustrating my invention, the numeral I0 designates in general an apparatus ior` cooling and circulating air such, for example, as in rooms. The room cooling apparatus III comprises in general a cabinet or casing II forming an air treating zone or flue I2 (see Fig. 2). 'Ihe cabinet I0 is provided with louvers I3 on the front panel thereof to permit air to enter the air cooling zone I2 under the suction of an electrically motor-driven fan I4 whence the air is discharged by said fan through an opening I5, thus circulating the air of the room through the cabinet IIJ. The air thus circulated through the flue or treating zone I2 is cooled by an evaporator I1 or refrigerant enclosing, air cooling structure comprising a plurality of coils I8 within which a refrigerant is circulated and around which the air passes. 'I'he cooling coils I8 are connected in series by means of a pipe I9 and are vertically disposed in the cabinet of the present apparatus. The coils I8 may be supported in any suitable manner in cabinet I0 and are herein shown as being supported byva moisture or drip catching pan 2| carried by the cabinet I0 and forming means for receiving the water, condensed from the air bythe air cooling structure and, ilowing from the structure by gravity. Refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator II by means of a refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit 23, of which the evaporator I1 forms a part thereof, under the control of a suitable expansion includes a compressor 28 operatively connected with a motor 29 by suitable belt and pulley connections 3|. Compressor 28 compresses the gaseous refrigerant and delivers it to a condenser 32, through a pipe 33, where it is cooled in any suitable manner. The gaseous refrigerant is liqueed in the condenser 32 and flows into a receiver 34 from where itis delivered under pressure through the liquid refrigerant pipe 26, to the evaporator. A thermostat 36, is attached to the gaseous refrigerant return pipe 21 and, has a pipe 31 connecting the same to a bellows 39 forming a part of and serving to operate an automatic switch 40, of conventional and well-known design, which connects the motor 29 to the power lines 42. The thermostat 36 thuscontrols the operation of switch 4J|| in response to the temperature of the pipe 21 to thereby maintain the evaporator |1 at the proper air cooling temperature and to prevent refrigerating action in the pipe 21 beyond the air treating zone. In a room cooling apparatus as disclosed, considerable atmospheric moisture will collect on the evaporator I1, due to the cooling action of the evaporator, and will flow therefrom into the catch pan 2|. The catch pan 2| is connected to a steam pump or the like device, located therebelow and generally indicated by the reference character 45, which will now be described.

The device includes a pipe or conduit 46 connected with the drain opening provided in the lower portion of pan 2| (see Fig. 3). The pipe 46 is formed integral with and may support the device 45. 'I'he casing 41 of the device 45 may be constructed of any desired or suitable material to carry out my invention and is formed to provide a valve seat 48 at the lower end of the conduit 46 or at the inlet to the casing 41. A valve 49 cooperates with the seat 48 and has a stem 5| extending to the exterior of the casing 41..

The valve 49 is normally open and a magnet 52, of any conventional or suitable design, is associated with the valve stem 5| and is adapted to draw the stem 5| upwardly thereinto when energized to cause valve 49 to close against seat 48 to thereby close the normally open inlet to casing 41. The casing 41 of device 45 forms a chamber,

receptacle or trap for the reception oi' drip water from'conduit 46. A threaded opening 56 in a. side wall of casing 41 is closed by a plug 51 preferably constructed of insulating material such, for example, as bakelite or porcelain and has two electrodes 58 and 59 molded or sealed therein. The electrodes 58 and 59 extend entirely through the plug 51 so as to protrude into the receptacle or trap 55 and so as to permit attachment of electric wires to their outer ends. An outlet opening 6| leading from a lower portion of trap 55 is connected by an elbow casing 63 housing a. check valve 64. of any suitable construction, adapted to rest on seat 62. 'Ihe elbow casing 63 is connected, in any suitable manner, with a pipe 65 and the valve 64 is normally closed upon its seat 62, thus preventing communication between trap 55 and pipe 65. The pipe 65 extends above the room cooling apparatus I8 and particularly above the trap 55 or evaporator |1 to a point adjacent to or within the ceiling of the room in which the apparatus I8 is located (see Fig. l). The pipe 65 then extends horizontally beyond other rooms of the building t0 a there is located an electrical heating unit 61 containing a resistance winding 68 having a connection with each of the lead-in terminals 69 and 1| of the unit 61. A switch unit including a heater comprising an electrical resistance wire 13 spaced from and adapted to heat a bimetallic thermostat element 14 is shown as mounted on the bottom of pan 2|. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the switch unit is preferably carried by insulating blocks 16 and 11. The resistance or heater wire 13 is adapted to heat the thermostat switch element 14 to cause movement thereof and is provided with terminal connections 18 .and 19. 'I'he thermostat element 14 is provided with a terminal 8| at its stationary end and carries a contact 82 on its movable end which contact is adapted to engage a stationarily mounted contact 83. It is to be understood that the switch unit just described may be located in a box or other enclosure and mounted wherever desired. y l

The electrical circuit connected in parallel with the power supply conductors 42 and leading to the control switch 4|| and motor 29 of the refrigerating liquefying and circulating unit 23 will now be described. Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, wherein this electrical circuit is diagrammatically illustrated, there is a wire 9| connected with one of the power supply conductors 42 (see Fig. l) which wire leads to the terminal 92 attached to the electrode 58. A branch wire 93 connects the terminal 8| of thermostat 14 with the wire 9|. A wire 94 connected to the other of the power supply conductors 42 (see Fig. 1) is attached to the terminal 95 leading to one end of a coil or Winding (not shown) contained in the magnet 52. The other end of the coil or winding of magnet 52 is secured to the terminal 96 and this terminal has a wire 91 leading therefrom and connected to the terminal 19 of the resistance heater wire 13. Wire 91 has a branch wire 98 which is attached to the terminal 69 of the heater unit 61 which leads to the resistance wire 68 enclosed in the unit 61. A wire 99 is attached to the binding post or terminal 18 of the resistance wire 13 and is connected to the terminal IDI of the electrode 59. Another wire |82 extends from the stationary contact 83 of the switch unit to the terminal 1| leading to the T, resistance heater 68 of the unit 61.

The electrode 58 is connected at its binding post terminal 92 by wire 9| with the source of electrical supply at all times and the electrode 59 is likewise connected with the source of electrical supply through Wire 99, resistance wire 13, wire 91, magnet 52 and wire 94. This causes the electrodes to be charged with electrical energy at all times and maintains an electrical potential between the electrodes 58 and 59. However, since these electrodes are insulated from one another there is ordinarily no current iiowing between them and no electric energy is used. In practicing my invention, as will hereinafter be more fully described, it will be understood that the heater Wire 13 for the thermostat switch is preferably of greater resistance to ow of electric energy than the drip water in receptacle or trap 55 so that when the electrodes 58 and 59 are bridged by the water, the amount of current passing through wire 13 is sumcient to cause building or apartment divided into a plurality oi' rooms |05, |06, |01 and |00. In this arrangement the room or air cooling apparatusl is shown as' being located vinthe room |05 for cooling the air therein while the compressor, motor and condensing unit 23 is shown located in the 4room |08 which may be the basement of thebuilding. In many instances thehplace where the room cooling apparatus is located is owned or occupied by one person, while the room immediately below the room where the apparatus is located is owned or occupied by another, which would prevent the installation vof a gravity drain pipe and other pipes of the apparatus leading from the room cooling apparatus to the compressor-.condenserunit. In this case it would be necessary -to extend the pipes 26, 21, 31 and 65v above the drip water trap 55, pan 2l and evaporator I1 to the top of room |05 and across room or apartment |06, which may be a hallway and direct the pipes downwardly through some other apartment or through an elevator shaft beyond and at one side of room |01 to connect said pipes to the compressor-condenser u'nlt,2l9. In the arrangement illustrated and described, it4 is obvious that the installation of a gravity drain device for removing the drip water'ilowing from the evaporator i1 of the apparatus 0 is impossible and that some other device must 'be provided to remove the drip water from the apparatus I and room |05. It will benotedthatI'have provided a device for this purpose and its operation will now be described.

When moisture or water drips from the evaporator or cooling element I1. located inthe cabinet I l of the apparatus |0, for any reasonwhat-. n

soever, this moisture or 'drip waterds caught in the pan 2| and is conveyed by the pipezirconduit 46 into the chamber or trap 55. The water is trapped or collects in theloi'ver vportion 'of chamber 55 and when a sulcient mdimthas collected, the level of the water rissin'jthe'trap 55 so that it contacts or bridges both ofthe' 'electrodes 50 and 59. Since the electrodes andz' are energized. the drip water upon brfdgingsame causes a small amount of electric energy orlzcur'- rent to ilow from one electrode to "the other through the water. My arrangement is such that the amount of current ilowing through thedrip water is suillcient to cause heating-of the resistance wire 13 but preferably no appreciable heating of the water bridging the electrode. T he amount of electric energy or current capable of being conducted from one electrode to the other thereof, through the water, being in accordance with this invention, suillcient to cause the circuit connecting the electrodes with the source of elec-l tric supply to be Aclosed through the magnet 52 and resistance wire 13. Closing ofA this circuit through wires 94, 91, 99 and 9| causes both the magnet 52 and resistance wire 13 to be energized. The magnet '52 thus attracts and moves the stem 5| of valve 49 upwardly to seat the valve 49 against its seat 46 and to close the chamber 55 from the conduit 46. 'I'he resistancev wire 13 upon being energized generates heat and radlates this heat, against the bimetallic thermostat 14. Heating of thermostat 14 causes itsfree or contact carrying end to move away from the heater resistance wire 1: and towards the sta! tion between the electrodes 56 and 59. Therefore, electric energy is readily conducted to the resistance element 68 located in heater unit 61 without having to pass through or being impeded by other resistance means or elements in the electric system.

When the circuit has been completed through electrodes 50 and 59 by water bridging same, the

l, magnet 5,2 is energized and this magnet causes valve 49 to seat against its seat 40 for closing off the inlet conduit 46 from the drip water receiving chamber or trap 55. The circuit is such that the valve 4 9 is caused v to remain closed as long as the contact 62 of thermostat 14 is in engagementwith the contact 83 for directing current to the heater unit 61. The heater unit 61 and its resistance heating. wire 68 may be of any well known or suitable construction and arrangevment as to generate considerable heat and are associated with the drip water receptacle or trap 55 in such amanner as to rapidly transfer or conduct this heat to the water. The arrangement is such that, or since other provisions obviously within the realm of my invention can be made,

such, for example, as a secondary electric circuit of low voltage through the drip water to insure thatvery little electric current will pass through thewater, when the water `bridges the electrodes 50 and 59, blowing oil-fuses in the circuit will be prevented. Thus, provisions to insure that the thermostat heater 13 generates only a small amount of-V heat suillcient to cause `operation or Amovement of the bimetallic thermostat 14 as compared to the amount oi' heat generated by the "heating resistance element 60 are obvious to one skilled `in ythe art.

Consequently, when the heater 61 is rendered effective, drip water in receptacle or trap 55 is rapidly'heated, without directly contacting the heating resistance wire 66, and is caused to vaporize o'r evaporate.

Pressure, resulting from vaporization of the drip water in trap 55, builds up in the trap. due to the check valve 64 and valve 49 being in closed position, and upon. reaching a predetermined high limit, forcesthe check valve 64 open. Thus the device and the pressure of the vaporized 'moisture or Idrip water therein forms a steam pump and forces water from the chamber 55 through conduit 6I and beyond the check valve 64. Water trapped vin the i'ltting 63 and the pipe 65 beyond the valve 04 accumulates and rises in pipe 65 to a height 's'uicient to then permit the water to ow bygravity through the downwardly directed portion of pipe 65 to a drain connection located in the cellar ilooryofthe building. It is to be understoodthat the check valve 64-may be opi'fenedand closed intermittently as long as heat is being applied to water in the receptacle or vtrap 55 to cause pressure therein to build up to a point;` to overcome the weight of `the valve 64 and the column oi water beyond'the valve.

Wli'en the contacts 02 and 03 are closed, to

conduit electric energy directly through good metallic conductors, to the heater 51, the circuit between the electrodes 58 and 59, through wire 94, magnet 52, wire 91, resistance wire 13, wire 99 and wire 9| remains closed as long as there is s ufcient water in the trap to bridge or contact both electrodes. As soon as suicient water has been vaporized to force water from the trap 55 to cause the level thereof to be lowered or to fall below electrode 58. the electrical circuit leading to heater wire 13, through the electrodes 58 and 59 from wires 9|, 89 and 31, magnet 52 and wire 94, will be broken thus de-energizing the heater wire 13. The heater wire 13 therefore ceases to generate heat and the bimetallic` thermostat 14 begins to cool and after a predetermined period of time, according to the arrangement and location of the thermostat, the bimetallic member 14 will move baci; into its normal position adjacent the heater wire 13. This movement of thermostat 14 is thus delayed or prolonged for a predetermined length of time, depending upon the -time required to cool the same, and the contacts 82 and 83 remain closed for a predetermined period of time after the circuit to the thermostat heater wire 13 has been broken by the lowering'of the water level below electrode 58. 'I'he heater 51 isv thereby caused to continue its -heating effect of the water in the trap 55 until the contacts 82 and 83 are separated by the cooling and consequently movement of thermostat 14 whereafter the magnet 52 is deenergized and valve 48 is opened to permit water accumulated in pan 2|, during the drip water removing operation as described, to flow therefrom through conduit 46 into the trap 55 to again render the water removing system effective.

The prolonged breaking of the circuit to heater 51, Yas accomplished in the manner described, is desirable for the reason that it insures removal of substantially all of the drip water contained in the trap 55 during a single' period of eiectiveness vof my steam pump or vaporizing system. Ordinarily, therefore, a considerable length of time will elapse before the level of drip water attains a suiilcient height to again energize the electric steam pump or vaporizing system and operations of parts thereof are thus minimized. The lapse of time between operations of energizing my electric steam pump or vaporizing system can be regulated to suit any particular refrigerating apparatus installation by varying the distance between the bottom of the trap 55 and the electrode 53 so that the receptacle or trap 55 will hold any desired amount of water in accordance with the period of prolonged cooling and consequently movement of thermostat 14 to normal position.-

It will be seen that I have provided an effective' means for elevating drip water, flowing from an might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a portable unit including an element which dehumidies air and which has water dripping therefrom, means for catching the drip water from said element, said drip water catching means having an inlet for conducting the drip water thereinto and an outlet adapted to conduct drip water therefrom, means connected to a source of energy for creating a pressure in said drip water catching means to cause removal of drip Water upwardly therefrom through said outlet, said last named means being normally ineffective and rendered effective automatically in response to the flow of a predetermined amount of drip water from said element to said catching means, and means also deriving its'energy from said source of energy for said pressure creating means for prolonging the effectiveness of said drip water removing means for a. predetermined period of time after the accumulation of drip water in said catching means has been diminished beyond the point for initiating effectiveness of said drip water removing means.

2. In combination, a portable unitary structure including an element which dehumidies air and which is adapted to have water dripping therefrom, means connected to a source of energy for circulating a fluid through said element to cause same to dehumidify the air, means for catching the drip water from said element, said drip Water catching means having an inlet for conveying the drip water thereinto and an outlet adapted to conduct drip water therefrom, means for closing said inlet, means for creating a pres- Vsure in said drip water catching means, saidV last named means including means deriving its energy from said source of energy for said fluid said drip water catching means through said conduit.

3. In combination, a portable unitary structure including a-n element which dehumidies air and which is adapted to have water dripping therefrom, means connected to a source of energy for circulating a fluid through said element to cause same to dehumidify the air, means for catching the drip water from said element, said drip water catching means vhaving an inlet for conveying the drip water thereinto and an outlet adapted vto conduct drip water therefrom, means for closing said inlet, means for creating a pressure in said drip water catching means, said last named means including means deriving its energy from said source of energy for said uid circulating means, and a conduit connected to said outlet and extending upwardly above said drip water catching means, said pressure creating means being normally ineffective and rendered effective automatically in response to the flow of a predeterminedamount of drip water from said element' to said catching means to force water from said drip water catching means through said conduit.

' JACOB SMILACK. 

